032 Xu Xinyou's Diary

[Page 1/3] [Task: Rectify Que Luo Middle School completed. Hidden task: Cleanse Que Luo Town of its malignancy and restore its integrity completed. Host performed exceptionally well; all previously confiscated rewards have been returned.]

[Task rewards: 70,000 Morality Points, Advanced Memory Buff (Effect: Increase brain capacity by 7%; enhance memory, comprehension, analysis, and creativity; buff can be stored or gifted; Duration: Permanent), Skin Like Congealed Fat Buff (Effect: Increase beauty by 7%. Buff takes effect immediately and is permanent), three draws for the Tian Shu Mall, and +13 Health Points.]

Qu Zhanyi raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on her lips, and said, "Brother 17, this reward is unexpectedly generous!"

The system explained in a stiff, mechanical tone.

[The completion of this task has triggered a butterfly effect.]

Qu Zhanyi nodded in understanding. Without dwelling on the implications of the butterfly effect, she rubbed her hands together and happily clicked to draw her rewards.

A triple strike.

She drew a "Curse Key," a copy of the "Divine Soul Sutra," and a "Better Luck Next Time."

Looking at the rewards received, Qu Zhanyi’s eyes brightened instantly. Compared to the "Curse Key" and the "Divine Soul Sutra" cultivation technique, the system’s standard rewards were simply not worth mentioning. Brother 17 seemed to sense her disdain and felt a little wounded internally...

[The data panel is now open; the host may view it at will.]

[Due to system upgrades and maintenance, service will be temporarily suspended. The host must remember the last lesson and fully understand and implement the meaning of benevolence.]

[Bye~]

Qu Zhanyi: "..."

Is Brother 17 broken? What kind of madness is this?

Regardless, with the cold, mechanical voice gone from her mind, Qu Zhanyi was naturally happy and at ease. She opened the newly appeared data panel in her mind, which displayed:

[Name: Qu Zhanyi
Gender: Female
Age: 16
Height: 167 cm
Soul State: Sealed
Morality Points: -28,886 (Sigh~ the road ahead is long and arduous)
Health Points: 91
...]

After reviewing the dense analysis of her combat power, items, cultivation techniques, and personality, Qu Zhanyi used the Advanced Brain Enhancement Buff, easily memorizing the two terabytes of data on the panel.

Que Luo Town returned to its former tranquility. Qu Zhanyi’s daily life became a cycle of studying, exercising, and disciplining her younger brother...

Time inadvertently slipped into June.

Xu Xinqi held the panda eye he had received while being "trained" by his sister, his face filled with the despair of the abused.

"Sister, your high school entrance exam is in three days. Wouldn't it be better to take a break?"

"I can take a break, but you—run five laps around Qiongshou Mountain."

Qu Zhanyi tilted her head slightly, looking at her brother, who had grown a head taller than her in just half a year, and spoke with icy indifference.

Xu Xinqi was on the verge of tears and pleaded, "Sister, can I apply for a one-day break?"

"Who was the one who said they wanted to surpass Lu Qiang?" Qu Zhanyi countered instead of answering. "You asked me to train you and promised to meet my requirements every day. Your signature is on that pledge; do you want to back out now?"

Upon hearing the mention of the pledge, the boy felt his character challenged and immediately replied, "Hmph, a man keeps his word."

With that, he dashed out of the courtyard like a small whirlwind and charged into Qiongshou Mountain.

Qu Zhanyi watched his retreating figure, a faint smile appearing on her face.

[Page 2/3]

"Silly boy."

...

Today was the final day of the high school entrance exam. Xu Xinqi waited outside the exam hall, feeling incredibly anxious. The wreath he had woven from foxtail grass and morning glories shimmered in the sunlight.

When Qu Zhanyi walked out of the hall, he immediately went to greet her and placed the wreath on her head. The morning glory right in the center of her forehead swayed in the breeze, looking quite eye-catching.

Xu Xinqi was very satisfied with his handiwork. "Sister, how does it feel?"

Qu Zhanyi tilted her head confidently; the foxtail grass swayed back and forth, and the morning glory made a soft 'toot-toot' sound.

"No feeling."

"Are you confident about getting into the Municipal No. 1 High School?"

"I am."

Xu Xinqi was both happy and worried, sighing, "Doesn't that mean we will only be able to see each other once every half year?"

"Who said that?" Qu Zhanyi looked at him strangely. "I plan to take you with me to D City."

"Ah? Ah!" Xu Xinqi was stunned and asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Qu Zhanyi raised her hand and tapped his head. "I told you before that we would leave Yan Jiao Village after the high school entrance exam."

"If you want to stay, I won't stop you, but I am definitely leaving."

Xu Xinqi muttered, "I thought you were just joking..."

Qu Zhanyi’s expression became serious, her tone cooling. "When have you ever seen me joke?"

Xu Xinqi rubbed his nose and chuckled dryly, "Wherever my sister goes, I go."

"Think it through before you answer," Qu Zhanyi reminded him. "Yan Jiao Village is where you have put down your roots, but once we leave, we may never come back."

Xu Xinqi said 'hmm' and didn't speak again.

Apart from his mother, who had no news, his sister was his only relative in Yan Jiao Village. If there was anything to miss, it was the kind and distant smiling face of his father in his memories. But those had long been buried in the grave with time.

Their great-grandfather had passed away two months ago. Zhang Wanqing cowered in his home like a beaten dog, rarely seen anymore. The gossipy women in the village no longer visited each other. Everyone had built walls to isolate themselves.

There seemed to be nothing left in Yan Jiao Village worth lingering over.

When the high school entrance exam results were released, Qu Zhanyi placed first in the entire county, earning a full scholarship and room and board at Zhaoyang Private High School.

While packing her things, she saw Xu Xinyou’s diary.

Qu Zhanyi opened it:

Saturday, May 7, 2005, Sunny
"Hide and Seek"
I want to give this first diary entry to Mom.
Tomorrow is Mother's Day, and I hope Mom can be healthy and happy.
Mom is playing hide and seek with me.

[Page 3/3]

It has been four years, and I still haven't found where Mom is hiding.
Mom is truly amazing.
...
Sunday, June 19, 2005, Cloudy
"Father's Day"
Dad drank a lot of alcohol today.
I saw Dad crying.
My younger brother cried along with Dad.
In the end, I cried loudly too.
...
Sunday, June 21, 2009, Sunny
"Father's Day"
Dad is dead.
Will it be very painful when a person dies?
Dad had a smile on his face, so it shouldn't be painful, right...
...
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Finally, I'm in my third year of middle school.
I heard the place where the "Sun Turns" is beautiful; I'll take my brother to see it after graduation!
...
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Tomorrow is the start of winter; time passes so quickly!
Let me make a New Year's wish first:
May my brother grow up safe and smooth.
May everyone in the world have their prayers answered.
...

She closed the old, palm-sized diary.

Qu Zhanyi silently recited a prayer for the departed. After she finished, her heart gave a strange, sharp pang.

The girl's diary was simple, and her wishes were modest. But her life had been permanently frozen at the start of winter.

Qu Zhanyi had searched the place of her rebirth several times since then, but she had found no clues regarding why she had returned. Perhaps it was truly just a coincidence? Or perhaps, as the system said, she was merely a neutrino they had captured?

Then how could she explain the various things she experienced in her previous life?

Questions were thrown out one after another, yet there were no answers. Qu Zhanyi did not feel discouraged; instead, she began to look forward to the day the mystery would be unveiled.

After two of the "Soul-Binding Shackles" were undone, she could already sense a faint trace of spiritual energy. Combined with the fact that she had reached the second level of the "Divine Soul Sutra," she was more convinced than ever that her rebirth was no mere coincidence.

If the answer was not in Qiongshou Mountain, then it must be somewhere else!